Mindwalk

I have an early morning flight to New York today, where I’ll be giving a day program at the Cenacle Retreat House in Ronkokoma, NY tomorrow, so I don’t have much time to write.

So I thought I’d share a film suggestion. A number of years ago, someone lent me a video of Mindwalk, a 1990 feature film directed by Bernt Amadeus Capra. The move is based on the book The Turning Point, written by the director’s brother, Fritjof Capra, the author of the book The Tao of Physics.

This is not a film for those who like a lot of action. The bulk of the film is a conversation among three characters: Sonia Hoffman, a Norwegian scientist, Jack Edwards, an American politician and former presidential candidate, and Thomas Harriman, a pote. (The three are played, respectively, by Liv Ullman, Sam Waterston and John Heard.)

The movie contains many insights from modern physical theories and, through the scientist, presents a holistic, or systems theory perspective on social problems.

I found the film very thought-provoking when I saw it and have always wanted to see it again, but have been unable to find it on DVD. (In fact, with one or two exceptions, no one else I have asked has ever heard of it, let alone seen it.) Recently, however, I discovered it on YouTube.

Warning: in checking a number of reviews, I discover not everyone found the film as worthwhile as I did. You can make your own judgment. But here it is:

Note: you can find discussion questions relating to the film here.

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